Sexual Harassment: The Me Too Movement

Sexual harassment is no laughing matter especially nowadays with the “Me Too” movement. One could learn from the article written by the author Tuttle, 1990, in which he writes a column pointing out apparent mistakes an employer made failing to protect women employees from sexual harassment and retaliation. Sexual harassment occurs in both men and women, the literature on harassment is consistent in reporting that an overwhelming number of victims are women, and harassers are men (del Carmen Herrera, Herrera, & Expósito, 2018). The case of the 25 pounder. In 1977 Carol Zabkowicz was one of two women employed at a West Bend Co. in Oak Creek, Wisconsin as a general warehouse worker. The firm was a small business it consisted of 20 employees. Working

He asked inappropriate questions in front of other men. On one occasion he asked Carol if she was wearing a bra. Carol was upset and reported the incident to her immediate supervisor. The supervisor told him to “knock it off,” but no other further disciplinary action took place. As time passed, she became pregnant and could no longer lift more than 25 pounds due to her restrictions set forth by her doctor. During this time Carol required the assistance of other co-workers mainly men to help her move items that were 25 lbs. or greater. One day a co-worker made obscene gestures while picking up something for her and stated, Carol, I bet you have trouble handling this 25 pounder. The employee was Larry Roman who frequently conducted himself inappropriately. Once again, Carol found herself talking to her supervisor tell him what had occurred. The supervisor proceeded to have a meeting with all the employees saying to them to quit the jokes. However, nothing else happened. No employee write-ups occurred, or suspension business went on as

In 1979-1982 a series of sexual orientated drawing were posted. The images portrayed a woman with exaggerated sexual characteristics often bearing Carols Zabkowicz initials. She immediately went to the supervisor to report the incident. The supervisor called a meeting indicating everyone to stop the drawings. Nonetheless, nothing happened to the perpetrators. No investigations and no writeups had occurred. Things went on as if nothing happened. The pictures were not taken off or stored as evidence. Then on April 26, 1982, Carol was due to leave for maternity leave under the FMLA act. Everyone in the plant was yelling at her indicating that they were happy to see her go and hoped she would not be back. They were retaliating against her because she had complained not once but several times to her supervisor. After years of sexual harassment, Carol decided to file a formal complaint with the EEOC. The court found that Carol had endured offensive and abusive behavior in the workplace. She had sustained malicious and brutal harassment that was malevolent and outrageous. The firm’s management staff failed not once or twice, but several times in providing immediate resolution. Carol won the case against the employer. She received $2,700 for her cost of attorney’s fees and $50,000 for the sexual harassment allegations. Eventually, the warehouse closed its doors permanently. Since this case,